From September 2025 — A Wider Welcome
Starting from September 2025, funded early education places will be available for eligible children from just 9 months old. This means:
- Working families whose little ones turn 9 months before the start of a new term can access up to 30 funded hours per week—either term-time or stretched year-round.
You can check your eligibility at Childcare Choices.
How We Offer Funded Hours
We are proud to welcome families using funded places. Here’s how it works with us:
- Parent Declaration – via Funding Loop
We use an online system called Funding Loop for all parent declaration forms.
This is quick and secure for parents — no paperwork to keep track of, just a simple form you complete online.
Behind the scenes, Funding Loop also makes things much smoother for our nursery team. It allows us to process claims accurately and on time, which means we can focus our energy on what matters most — caring for and teaching the children. - How Funded Hours Can Be Taken
Families can use their hours in different ways:- Term Time (38 weeks): 15 or 30 funded hours each week.
- Stretched (50 weeks): hours are spread more evenly across the year. This works out as 11 hours 24 minutes (if eligible for 15 hours) or 22 hours 48 minutes (if eligible for 30 hours) each week.
- Any hours above your funded entitlement are charged at our usual nursery rates.
- Meal Times & Charges
Funded hours do not include the cost of meals. If your child attends during breakfast, lunch, or tea, there is a small daily charge for freshly prepared meals, snacks, and drinks.
✅ If you prefer, we also offer 3-hour daily sessions without any meal charges. - Consumables Contribution
We ask for a small monthly consumables charge to help cover extras not included in funding — such as craft materials, outdoor play equipment, and special activities.
This contribution is not compulsory for families who are only accessing funded hours, but we do encourage it. It makes a big difference in helping us provide the enriched experiences that funding alone does not cover. - Reconfirming Eligibility
Parents are responsible for keeping their funding eligibility up to date.
For 30-hour places, you must reconfirm your details every 3 months through your Government Gateway account. If this is not done, your funding may lapse, and sessions will be charged at normal rates.
Our Commitment to You
Every child deserves the very best start. Whether your child is here for a few funded sessions or full days, we promise:
- A safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment
- Caring staff who know and support your child as an individual
- A learning journey that builds confidence, friendships, and independence
If you have any questions about how funding works with us, or how sessions can be arranged to suit your family, please get in touch — we’re always happy to help. 💛